Machine for leather rolling and setting



' March 12, 1946. F. w. HENNING MACHINE FOR LEATHER ROLLING AND SETTING Filed April 27,1944 7 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fiz'Enzmclc W HE/wvuva,

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

5505mm M Hen/mus,

F. W. HENNING a I y M Filed April 27, 1944 MACHINE FOR LEATHER ROLLING AND SETTING March 12, 1946.

March 12, 1946. F. w. Hamms 2,396,421

MACHINE FOR LEATHER ROLLING AND SETTING Filed April 27, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 HZEDERICK W Hen/Mme,

INVENTOR.

March 12, 1946. F. w. HENNING MACHINE FOR LEATHER ROLLING AND SETTING Filed April 27, 19,44 5 Shets-Sheet 4 Fl zsosk lclc W HEM/(Na,

INVENTOR.

BY Q

March 12, 1946.

F. W. HENNING MACHINE FQR LEATHER ROLLING AND SETTING Filed April 27, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 lllll I WWW/w l... l

FkEDE/ZICK W'HENNIIVG.

BY M4.

Patented Mar. 12, 1946 MACHI E F OR LEATHER ROLLING D SETTING Frederick W. Banning, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The American Oak Leather Company, 011 c n t Oh o, a corp n o Qh o Application April 27, 1944, *Serial No. 533,078

.9 Claims.

My invention relates to machines for rolling and setting leather.

In the art, the rolling and setting of leather has ordinarily been carried out by a manually controlled machine in which an operator holds the edges of the leather piece to be rolled and set on a table which is elevated by a foot treadle to a desired position to be engaged by .a ball or roller carried by a rocking beam which swings back and forth in a predetermined are .over the table. With each sweep of the arc of the rocking beam the roller engages the upper surface of the leather piece and rolls across it.

The operator pulls and pushes the leather piece while the roller is carried back and forth across it by the oscillations .of the rocking beam. When the roller is at one end of its stroke and is at rest for a brief instant, the operator movesor slightly rotates the piece on a pivot represented by the point at which the roller is at rest. Then the roller traverses a different area of the piece on its return sweep. Then when the roller is at the other end of its stroke the operator moves or slightly rotates the piece again on a pivot represented by the rest point at that end of, the stroke of the roller. Thus by an alternate twisting of the piece first with one hand and then the other, the entire area of the piece is finally traversed and rolled by the roller. At no time during this rolling is the movement of the piece substantially at right angles to the direction of the oscillations of the rocking beam.

The necessity for rolling and setting leather is that the previous treatments of the hide and the pieces into which it is cut leave the leather with the grain side covered with little cavities or hair follicles. Further the fat of the animal from which the hide comes causes what are called fat wrinkles.

The purpose of rolling and setting the leather is to close up the follicles, smooth out the Wrinkles and compact the hide so that it will have asubstantially uniform firmness. It has been found that straight downward compression applied to the different areas of a leather piece does not do a satisfactory job and that it is only when the compressing is accompanied by a rolling movement of the compressing mechanism that the various objectives are accomplished.

The mechanisms now in use and which depend on the skill of the operator in manually moving the leather piece over the table require exhaustne la r and there s a const nt danger that the pi ill slip and the hand f the operator will be crushed under the roller.

it is to obviate the accident risk, to reduce the labor involved and to more perfectly roll and set the leather that my invention is directed.

it s my obj ct to P ide n a m sm which requires no more than a feed in and ta e out operat on formoving the leather pie through the machine and during its movement to roll and compress the piece substantially at a ight ang e to the i ction 'of fee moveme t,

it is a further object to roll and compress each piece durin its feeding movement by rollers of varying width so that by the time the leather piece has been fed throu h the machine it will have been rolled and comp ssed in narrow bands 9, 28 16 45 a d in Wider bands. Preferably the operation in which the thin bands are rolled and compressed will be the initial treatment, this rolling and pressing in thin bands being followed by subsequ nt treatment of Wider bands f the leather piece-as it moves through the machine but such sequence is not essential.

While the movement of a piece of leather and the rolling .of the piece by successive application of rolling pressure distributed in bands of even width accomplishes a Satisfactory result, my invention in the application of rolling pressure first in narrow bands and then in wider bands creates a greatly improved result, particularly in smoothins o t the fat Wrinkles.

The machine entirely automatic in its actual operation and defects caused by improper manipulation of a leather piece by an unskilled operator are avoided.

The grading of leather and incidentally its availability for a wide range of usefulness is dependent on the success of the rolling and settin operation so that an improvement in the quality of Work done is a commercial advantage of consequence, It not merely to doing the job with foolproof mechanism and which is labor saving, but 1 5 to doin the job better and thus increasing the yield of better quality leather, that my mechanism is directed;

In the drawings in which I have shown a preferred m chanism for accomplishing my Various IDD 6 Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete machine.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the machine of Figure 1 with parts in section,.as would appear along the lines 2? 2 of Figure 1, the driving means being shown somewhat diagrammatically in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a sectional view as would appear on Figure 6 is an end elevation of the carriage' shown in Figures 4 and 5.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the second roller carriage from the receiving end of the machine,

the width of the bands or areas receiving rolling pressure being increased by a three roller carriage as compared to the initial seven roller carriage.

Figure 8 is a plan, part in section, on the lines 88 of Figure '7.

Referring now to the drawings (particularly Figure 1) l indicates the frame of the machine. As shown, it may be made of channel and angle bars and preferably assembled by welding into a complete support. Along the top on each side is a channel member 2. Spaced below the frame member 2 there are channel irons 3 which support the various mechanisms which perform the applications of rolling pressure on the leather piece.

Mounted on the base of the frame are channel iron members 4, which with the base members carry the driving mechanism. This consists of a series of eight driving discs 5 assembled in pairs, and supported between pairs by bearing standards 6 which carry the driving shaft 1. This driving shaft 1 extends beyond the driving discs at each end of the machine, and is also supported by bearing standards 5. On the shaft 1 are mounted the driving pulleys 8 and 9. Mounted on a suitable base, extending the length of the machine, is a countershaft l9 mounted in suitable bearing standards H.

At each end of the countershaft Iflare driving pulleys I2 which drive the pulleys 8 and 9 by means of belts l3, l4. Mounted on the countershaft I9 is a larger driving pulley l5 which may be mounted at either end or in the middle of the length of the shaft [9. It is connected by belt l5a to a source of power (not shown). The

assembly described furnishes the support and the power for driving the various mechanisms now to be described for feeding the leather piece and exerting rolling pressure on it.

Looking now at Figure 1, it will be seen that the first element to be driven is a pair of feed rolls l6 and I1, mounted in bearings 58 and 59 housed in stirrup frames l8 and 19. These stirrup frames are bolted at the bottoms to frame member 3 (as best seen in Figure 3). The shaft of the lower roll I! extends through a lower bearing in the stirrup frame and has mounted on its outer end a bevel pinion gear 20. This gear meshes with driven bevel gear 2|. There are, as will be observed from Figure 1, five sets of feed rollers equivalent to the feed rollers l6, l1.

- At a point near the'rear 'end of shaft 1 is mounted a sprocket gear 21a. On the frame I, mounted in bearings 22 and 23, there is a short countershaft on which is mounted a driving sprocket wheel 24. Connecting the sprocket gear 2m on the shaft 1, and the sprocket wheel 24 on the countershaft there is a sprocket chain 25. Also mounted on the countershaft is a small sprocket 26.

Mounted in bearings 21 alongthe frame I, there is a drive shaft 23 which extends along the length of the machine. Mounted near the rear end of shaft 28 there is a large sprocket wheel 29, and the sprockets 26 and 29 are connected by a sprocket chain 30.

The combination just described furnishes a driving means from the power supply through the shaft, countershaft and sprockets to the shaft driving the bevel gears 2| and the bevel gear pinions 20 mounted on the bottom roll of each pair of leather feed rolls.

As will be seen in Figure 2 on the right hand end of the feed rolls [6 and 11, there are a pair of gears 3| and 32. These gears transmit driving power from the lower roll I! to upper roll I6. Since the drive for all five sets of feed rolls is the same, it should be understood that mention of driving means for any given set of feed rolls is the same as that described for the first set as the feed in end.

Observing now Figures 1, 2 and 3, it will be noted that at spaced intervals between the feed rolls and transversely disposed are pairs of channel iron beams 33 and 34. These beams are secured to the top frame member 2 by angle iron brackets 35 which are secured to the frame member 2 by bolts 36. The transverse channel beams are secured in the brackets 35 by bolts 31 which pass through enlarged holes in the bracket members 35, and are threaded into the beams 33 and 34. A series of adjusting screws 38 (Figures 1 and 2) at the top and bottom of beams 33--34 bear against the beam members 33-34 near their ends. By loosening the bolts 31 slightly and turning the adjusting screws 38, the beams 3334 may be adjusted up or down, to level or correct the distance to or from work passing under the pressure roller assemblies carried by the beams 33 and 34.

Mounted on the beams 33 and 34 are a series of transversely traveling carriages or pressure heads. These carriages are formed from a pair of triangular shaped side plates 39-40 and an inner pair of lesser sized triangular shaped plates 4| and 42 (Figure 3). The outer and inner plates are separated by bushings 43. A series of rollers 44 are held in operative condition by bolts 45. Welded to the sides of inner plates 4|42 are brackets 46, mounted between and near each end of brackets 43 are side bearing rollers 41 which have a running, guiding contact with the beams 33 and 34. The rollers 44 have a running contact, top and bottom, with the beams 33 and 34.

The construction of the carriage thus far described makes a structure which has a minimum of side sway, while moving forward or back on the beam members 33 and 34.

Mounted in the bottom right and left corners of the triangular carriages are shafts 48. Carried by these shafts are a series of arms 49, these arms carrying a series of rollers 12 (Figures 4, 5, 6). The arms 49 to the left carry four rollers and the arms to the right carry three rollers, in this particular carriage' Mounted a short distance above the arms 49 is a plate 5|, welded to the outside plates 39 and 40 of the carriage. On each pair of the arms 49 is a second plate 52 welded to the arms. Interposed betweenthe plate 5| and plates 52 are adjustable springs 53. These springs provide a resilient pressure for the various groups of rollers.

Mounted at the right, hand edge of the traveling carriages, are shafts 53a extending from side to side of the carriages, and mounted on the shafts are connecting rods 54 (Figures 2, 4 and 5).

.aeaqlsa Th s eqnneet s red 9 a e ea ted o wi reearms seamen ar swe e. a 5. a as 11? .ieedius bl ee m e't to t arms 5.5 e ink .fiiq r iehiin t r re senil d to Wri t Pies m u te n th d ivineid s i The rotation of the shaft causes the links .551: to pi l 'ih a e 55110 endew r ein e am of themachine whic l'i in turn causes arms f55, by reason of their connection to thecarriages} to move the carriages to and fro on the beams 33 and 3. his eas n t se 9. r ere'i va ous car iages swa t e rol n e sur ee et en on the l ath r e e i ed ward through the machine by the feed rollers.

hs shown in Figure 3, the feed rolls [6 and I1 e mint d n bearin b es is an e th sti ru re he T t peer n bo r we e r 5 s se u ed to i a red 5.0; when i threaded in a boss on the top of the bearing boa. Th 16 1 .0 e lld'e' trespa sin t rbueh h stirrup frame and is" capped a pair or leck i 56 r i id 'ne t e red .end' e i eb contact therewith is bushing 5g. The bushing has a threaded outer surface forpart of its length and annular pass {it at its top which has spanner wrench" holes spaced around itsbircuinfere eficef The boss e3 bears against the inner surface of the stirrup frame. Springs 5 surround the rodsfifl and have a bottom bearing on the bearing'box 58. Therods {69 contact the nuts 65. The nuts are formed withsguared portions which loosely'iri the stirrup frames. To adjust the tension'of the springs t0 and increase the pressure of the feed rolls, ,a spanner wrench is inserted in'the holes of the boss 63 and the bushing '62 i'sscrewed up or down in the nut 55, thus increasing or decreasing the spring tension. Resistance to the resulting thrust of the spring adjustment is'taken up by the stirrup frames, and the square shape of the bottom of the nut 65 prevents its' turning due to its close fl lt the stirrup frames wand l9.

Referring to Figure 3, it will be noted that at spaced intervals there are inverted cross iron channel'b'ars 6'1. These channel bars are preferably welded to the supporting channel bar 3, blocks sa'bemg interposed'between the channel bars 61 andthe stirrup frames to furnish clearance for the feed rolls:

On the top of the bars 51 are table plates 69, preferably'made of a heavy brass. These tables are fastened to cross bars 61 by Welding or other suitable means. The table plates are slightly below the pinch of the feed rolls [6 and I! which facilitates the entrance of the leather sheet into the pinch of the feed rolls.

Across the face of the upper feed roll it there is a deflector bar Hi which is supported at its outer ends on blocks to provide a space between the floor plate and the deflector bar for travel of the leather sheet marked X, on its way through the machine. These deflector bars prevent any wrapping of the leather sheet around the feed rolls l6 and the floor plate 69 is fitted close enough to the roll ll to act as a deflector for the roll 11.

The traveling carriages H, or pressure head, which has been described is preferably located at the feed end of the machine. It consists, as has been explained, of a group of seven comparatively narrow rollers 72 so spaced that the rollers of one group overlap the path of travel of the other.

The purpose of the smaller rollers is to enablerolling out of small depressions and wrinkles. The rollers are moved rapidly forward and back As in eenr t 'wiih he hre el e s .e er anei e h ath ef tra e P the 1 r e s t 3 31? 1 in? s n 9. la s 1 .e p etween the t o rel e s and a n t e u t le i ed is a om is ed by e eer o t e rel e e abil ty t reac wr nk s a d e e. i no? p ba le at this ete e 1 t e s t n t ea her wi h a n l wi rel er- Referring to Figures 1 and 3 there will be seen third and f ur h tr v lin ea ie e 1. and 15 w h e r "sin le e ler In th s e ri ee th e is only one single roller, which as shown extends the full width ,of the carriage. The carriage construction is otherwise the same as those pre..-, vi usl d s rib d er r tha h arm fls'e d forward so that the single rollers 15 and ll are the center of the carriages. Further the size n i F i D t 9 W? l g is i sed- I ee single ller heads for the n se ting and. rolling operation and bring the surface of the eat e i9 Sm th emreei finishe s'ert eu er"arr n em nt des ribe ees i e t t id p ieii 'ei one sever; rq r Presr le ,e e th e ell r Pressur head end We n' l e P s ur head i not ess ntial- Cthel" r n m f i f P essure hea s th i i m te of r lereese es 9 3 he e se be use "it is even not essential for the practice of my e t ha e s i e heesis ith e pluralit of narrow rollers, though I have found in the operation of my machine that this is desirable. Whilethe feed of pieces of leather fiatwise through the machine may be an intermittent feed, wherein the piece stops during the intervals when rolling pressure is applied to the piece transverse to the direction of feed, first in narrow bands, as for example with the seven roller head and then in successively wider bands as with the three rol-ler head and single roller heads, -I have found that if the rate of feeding movement is reduced to a ratio of from about 1 to 20 and over, as compared with the rate of movement of the pressure heads that a continuous feeding move ment, as in the machine illustrated, may be successfully carried out. Thus with a rate of feeding movement of 10 feet per minute and a transverse application of rolling pressure by the pressure roller heads at a rate of 200 ft. per minute or more, the slippage of the piece during the application of pressure by the pressure roller heads causes a better smoothing out of the fat wrinkles than if the piece was stopped, as it could be with an intermittent feed, during the application of the rolling pressure.

Occasionally a single pass through the machine will not result in a satisfactory surface finish. In such event, it is a simple matter to put the unsatisfactory pieces to one side and feed them through the machine another time, or to set up additional pressure heads and feed rolls.

As far as I am advised, the continuous feeding of a piece of leather while applying rolling pressure at a so much greater speed than that of the feed, at right angles to the direction of feed, that there need be no stoppage of the feed, involves a hitherto unsuggested plan of operation.

Further the applying of rolling pressure, first by a set of narrow rollers arranged in a composite interspaced arrangement, and which in fact, roll the leather in a transverse band equal to the width of the assembly, involves a novel principle which is particularly efiective in smoothing out fat wrinkles.

While I have illustrated these novel principles in an automatically operative machine, the same principle could be carried out in a hand manipulated operation where certain operators pulled a leather piece over a table and other operators applied the rolling pressure substantially at a right angle to the direction of pull. While such an operation would accomplish the purposes of my invention to a degree, it would not compare favorably with the results obtained by using the machine.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a leather rolling and Setting machine, a series of pinch feed rollers'provided with means for rotating same, and a series of pressure heads carrying rollers which exert rolling pressure against the leather as it is fed, provided with means for oscillating said pressure heads at substantially right angles to the direction of feeding movement of the pinch rollers.

2. In a leather rolling and setting machine, a series of spaced pinch feed rollers provided with means for rotating same, and a series of pressure heads carrying rollers arranged intermediate the sets of pinch feed rollers which exert rolling pressure against the leather as it is fed, and means for oscillating said pressure heads at substantially right angles to the direction of feeding movement of the pinch rollers.

3. In a leather rolling and setting machine, a series of spaced pinch feed rollers provided with means for rotating same, and a series of pressure heads carrying rollers arranged intermediate the sets of pinch feed rollers which exert rolling pressure against the leather as it is fed, and means for oscillating said pressure heads at substantially right angles to the direction of feeding movement of the pinch rollers, at a rate of speed of about twenty times or more as fast as the feeding rate of the pinch feed rollers.

4. In a leather rolling and setting machine, a series of pinch feed rollers provided with means for rotating same, and a series of pressure heads carrying rollers which exert rolling pressure against the leather as it is fed, provided with means for oscillating said pressure heads at substantially right angles to the direction of feeding movement of the pinch rollers, said pressure heads carrying different numbers of rollers.

5. In a leather rolling and setting machine having a spaced series of tables, means for continuously feeding leather flatwise across said tables. and means for exerting rolling pressure against said tables at substantially a right angle to the direction of feeding movement of the leather.

6. In a leather rolling and setting machine having a spaced series of tables, means for feeding leather flatwise across said tables and means for exerting rolling pressure against said tables at substantially a right angle to the direction of feeding movement of the leather, said latter mentioned means applying pressure first in narrow bands or areas across the leather and subsequently in wider bands or areas.

7. In a leather rolling and setting machine, means for continuously feeding a piece of leather through the machine, and means for applying rolling pressure to the piece at substantially a right angle to the direction of feeding movement.

8. In a leather rolling and setting machine, means for continuously feeding a piece of leather through the machine, and means for applying rolling pressure to the piece at substantially a right angle to the direction of feeding movement. said latter mentioned means comprising a series of pressure heads carrying rollers which, during movement of said leather piece, engage the upper surface thereof.

9. In a leather rolling and setting machine, means for continuously feeding a piece of leather through the machine, and means for applying rolling pressure to the piece at substantially a right angle to the direction of feeding movement, said latter mentioned means comprising a series of pressure heads carrying rollers which during movement of said leather piece engage the upper surface thereof, said series of pressure heads being arranged in sequence with one or more pressure heads carrying a multiple of pressure rollers.

FREDERICK W. HENNING. 

